A Moment of Silence for Murder
Jan Johnston Osburn
Career Success Coach, Resume Writer, Bio Writer, Federal Resume Writer | Helping Others Redefine What is Possible
One Moment for Murder
On Monday, as thousands came together for vigils across the nation, House Speaker Paul Ryan asked his fellow lawmakers to participate (once again) in a moment of silence.
(That feels all too familiar, doesn’t it?)
“The chair asks that the House now observe a moment of silence in memory of the victims of the terrorist attack in Orlando,” Ryan said.
As he bowed his head, most of the chamber followed suit.
But some walked out…
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Just helping out: When I was 20, a college friend was murdered – because he stopped to assist a “disabled” vehicle. His helpfulness got him killed. He was murdered by someone who wanted his car as an escape vehicle because he had murdered two other people the day before.
At this time, murders in my neck of the woods were rare. Plus, no social media back then so it was easy to avoid the news. I spent the next week walking around in a state of shock. Anything like a mass shooting was almost unfathomable at that time.
Sending kids to school: In 1999, we saw the beginning of mass shootings in schools. On April 20, 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold murdered 12 students and one teacher at Columbine High School. They injured 21 additional people before the pair committed suicide.
And all we did was send children to school.
Mowing the lawn, pumping gas, and reading a book on a bench: In October 2002, John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo murdered ten people and critically injured three other victims in the Beltway Sniper Attacks throughout the Washington, DC metropolitan area and along Interstate 95 in Virginia.
People going about their daily lives before being gunned down.
A One-Room Amish Schoolhouse: On October 2, 2006, Charles Carl Roberts took ten female hostages at the schoolhouse. He shot eight out of ten girls (aged 6–13), killing five, before committing suicide in the schoolhouse. He ordered the girls to line up against the chalkboard before he executed them.
The Amish community put an emphasis on forgiveness and reconciliation. I’m not sure I’m that good of a person.
College kids in class: At Virginia Tech in 2007, Seung-Hui Cho shot and killed 32 people and wounded 17 others in two separate attacks (another six people were injured escaping from classroom windows), approximately two hours apart, before committing suicide.
Families ripped apart.
More babies sent to school who never came back home: On December 14, 2012, Adam Lanza murdered 20 children and six staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The children were between 6 and 7 years old. Prior to driving to the school, Lanza shot and killed his mother at their Newtown home. As first responders arrived at the scene, Lanza committed suicide.
They were babies, just babies.
Nine people worshipping God: In June, 2015, at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal in Charleston, SC, 21-year-old Dylann Roof murdered nine people in hopes of igniting a race war.
You don’t expect violence in church, do you?
A Saturday Night Out: On June 12, Omar Mateen, pledged allegiance to ISIS and gunned down 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, the deadliest mass shooting in the United States and the nation's worst terror attack since 9/11.
Why? For the love of God, why??
This is just a sample of mass killings that have happened in the U.S.
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Guns…
Laws…
A powerful NRA…
Religion gone awry…
Mental health issues…
Hatred…
Afraid to call things for what they are…
Retaliation for bullying…
Just plain evil…
The core issues are numerous and the answer doesn’t lie within a single solution but I know what the answer is not: Sitting on your ass and letting more people die.
Burying your head and claiming outrage and heartbreak doesn’t prevent this from happening in the future.
No moment of silence will help.
A moment for a murder? No, not anymore.
So, Mr. President, Senators, Congressmen and Congresswoman, Presidential nominees Clinton and Trump, and US Citizens, we can no longer allow a moment of silence to be the way we solve problems.
When will we grow sufficiently weary of waking up to the news of another mass shooting?
Communications Professional, Journalist, Writer, Editor, Health Educator
8 年There seems to be growing agreement that if someone has been investigated by the FBI (past or current) for terrorist ties (or other threatening or dangerous behavior?), the FBI and/or local public safety agencies should be notified if the person is trying to buy a gun, particularly an assault weapon (or other dangerous materials such as explosives-related). It seems appropriate that this should also apply to the "gun show loophole." Additionally, there seems to be a need to flag people with past, current or suspected mental health issues who are trying to buy firearms. Health care confidentiality is an issue here. Also, we want to encourage people to get counseling and support (including veterans). There is enough stigma already. We don't want people to avoid seeking help because their right to own a gun could be affected. We don't want counselors and mental health professionals to be reporting to the government. Difficult challenges here.
Leadership & Engagement Professional / Management Consultant / Freelance Columnist and Featured Contributor, BIZCATALYST360.COM
8 年None of this will ever,...ever make sense. Assault rifles? we really need these in every day life? I think not. As a country, we are so out of whack with what's important.
Owner LuxFirearms of NC
8 年Good insight, nice write up. I think we as a nation, as citizens we need to stand up and admit why this hate and discontent is so more prevalent in today's society. This doesn't just happen, like everything in life there are always steps and hurdles that get you to your current mindset and thought processes. I can not stand how the initial stance in every crisis is "gun control". The obvious is that it is not realistic. There is NEVER a simple "fix" end all. There are always multitudes in society that Is the root cause, finding that is the starting point. Since when in the history of the world has any "fix" solved anything? Please enlighten us, example prohibition, liquor OUTLAWED....how well did that work out. It actually increased crime and death. Gun bans do not work, it works stopping law abbiding citizens from acquiring and owning, it will never stop the criminal enterprises. Example, Mexico, there is 0 tolerance, no firearms allowed, yet they are a narco-state with mass murder daily. The ideology of some of our gov't representatives are dangerous. And yet another example, Feinstien states that "IF we just lay our firearms down, the criminals will realize they don't need theirs and put them down as well" (Paraphrased). That thinking is not only assanine but dangerous!! Believe me, I am not saying go out and buy up the armory, but if the Second Ammendamnet is your lifestyle then you should have that right. Just like every other lifestyle is fighting for their rights, that's your right! But in closing, I agree with your write up, a "moment of silence" does nothing for anyone except to satisfy inner self satisfaction and a "warm heart" head raising facade. I do not believe there is a fix all answer, except a good start is to band together as citizens and be vigilant, help a brother out not always be at each other's throats just because you don't share the same point of view or opinions.
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8 年It's not about silence it's about getting rid of the guns.....